About Handmade by Áine and Molly

Our Team

Hi, I’m Julie, and Handmade by Áine & Molly is my creation and labour of love. Our business was registered in 2013.

I’ve enjoyed a career of more than 35 years as a General Nurse and Midwife, with the last 20 years as a Child Health Nurse. I’ve lived and worked in both country and city locations.

Working with new parents, helping them understand how their newborn will grow, develop and emotionally thrive is something I found incredibly satisfying and there are many experiences I’ll never forget. It was equally satisfying helping parents when their next child arrived.

Working as a nurse in child health allowed me to see first-hand how babies and young children develop. Babies soon learn to respond to visual, vocal and tactile stimulation, but it is important that any stimulation not be overwhelming. I’m using the knowledge I gained from working as a child health nurse to make my age-appropriate designs for tummy-time towels, wraps, blankets, cuddlies, quilts and mirrors. My blog and Instagram pages will include information about my new designs and fabric ranges, and sometimes I’ll also include links to useful websites that discuss raising children.

My interest in sewing started from an early age. It is something I’ve inherited from both sides of my family, going back at least three generations on each side. One of the quilts made by my paternal great-great grandmother is more than a century old and is still within the family.

I love to be creative, and develop new products and designs. Some of the items I’m offering for sale on this website are based on designs I’ve made for family and friends over the past 25+ years.

I also love helping others learn to sew, and it is always a great thrill to see the creativity of young children and teenagers awaken.

My husband, Pete, helps with the business side of things. He also helps maintain my long-arm quilting machine, and designs some of the patterns we use for quilting.

We are based in Perth, Western Australia. We donate 2.5% of sales revenue to the Women and Infants Research Foundation at King Edward Memorial Hospital in Subiaco, WA.

Finally, our logo – also part of the team. We have chosen the red-eared firetail finch (Stagonopluera oculata), a colourful finch from the forests and coastal scrub of southwestern Australia. The striking colours and spotted pattern on the breast of the firetail finch are similar to some of the colours and patterns we use in our designs. We think it is the perfect choice for our logo!

I picked up the quilt yesterday and you have done an excellent job on it. I’m very happy with how it has turned out. Thank you very much.
[A custom-made quilt for a friend.]

Dylan

I've ordered many products including wraps, towels and quilts from Áine and Molly for my granddaughter when she was born in February. All are of a very high quality and made with Julie’s loving care and attention. Since then my daughter-in-law and I have ordered other gifts for friends from the extensive range. One favourite is the baby mirror, framed with one of the many fabrics Julie has in her range. Knowing the products are all made with 100% cotton or organic fabrics is very comforting for me. I can strongly endorse all Áine and Molly products.

Jane

Really great practical gifts for new babies. Love the large cotton waffle blankets – so soft and luxurious after washing. Happy repeat customer.

Kate

Great quality and long lasting gifts for newborns. I’m a happy repeat customer.

Colin

Great quality! We have washed the towels, flannels, playmat / quilt many times and they always come up looking like new.

Ruth (USA)

Our History

Our History

Áine and Molly were two young girls from the Irish countryside who shared a love of all things sewing, embroidery, quilting and cross-stitching. (I was very fortunate to meet Molly in 2009).

Áine’s interest and craft skills came from her mother, and both Áine and her mother became the seamstresses in their local village making quilts, clothing and other items for many families.

Today their legacy lives on, with their passion and imagination for sewing and quilting inherited by some of their descendants.

I picked up the quilt yesterday and you have done an excellent job on it. I’m very happy with how it has turned out. Thank you very much.
[A custom-made quilt for a friend.]

Dylan

I've ordered many products including wraps, towels and quilts from Áine and Molly for my granddaughter when she was born in February. All are of a very high quality and made with Julie’s loving care and attention. Since then my daughter-in-law and I have ordered other gifts for friends from the extensive range. One favourite is the baby mirror, framed with one of the many fabrics Julie has in her range. Knowing the products are all made with 100% cotton or organic fabrics is very comforting for me. I can strongly endorse all Áine and Molly products.

Jane

Really great practical gifts for new babies. Love the large cotton waffle blankets – so soft and luxurious after washing. Happy repeat customer.

Kate

Great quality and long lasting gifts for newborns. I’m a happy repeat customer.

Colin

Great quality! We have washed the towels, flannels, playmat / quilt many times and they always come up looking like new.

Ruth (USA)

Our Vision

Our Vision

Our vision, in a few words, is to make safe and practical items such as quilts, wraps, cotton blankets and cuddlies, tummy-time towels and mirrors that will be valued and cherished by parents and their young children.

We love what we make and get great pleasure out of being creative, and we want our quilts especially to be keepsakes.

We take pride in everything we make and aim to produce high quality items from natural cotton fabrics. We source our fabrics and threads from Australian suppliers where possible. Sometimes we will obtain fabric from overseas suppliers, like our cotton waffle which is produced in an Italian Mill.

I picked up the quilt yesterday and you have done an excellent job on it. I’m very happy with how it has turned out. Thank you very much.
[A custom-made quilt for a friend.]

Dylan

I've ordered many products including wraps, towels and quilts from Áine and Molly for my granddaughter when she was born in February. All are of a very high quality and made with Julie’s loving care and attention. Since then my daughter-in-law and I have ordered other gifts for friends from the extensive range. One favourite is the baby mirror, framed with one of the many fabrics Julie has in her range. Knowing the products are all made with 100% cotton or organic fabrics is very comforting for me. I can strongly endorse all Áine and Molly products.

Jane

Really great practical gifts for new babies. Love the large cotton waffle blankets – so soft and luxurious after washing. Happy repeat customer.

Kate

Great quality and long lasting gifts for newborns. I’m a happy repeat customer.

Colin

Great quality! We have washed the towels, flannels, playmat / quilt many times and they always come up looking like new.